


Call Me Maybe

by justyrae



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Deaf Character, M/M, Mutual Pining, Phone Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-04
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-21 03:55:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3676446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justyrae/pseuds/justyrae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam works as an interpreter and gets a bit too close with one of his callers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Call Me Maybe

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS 100% TORI'S FAULT. SHE'S THE ONE WHO LINKED ME TO [THIS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKFrwGU9FKY) VIDEO AND SUBSEQUENTLY RUINED MY LIFE.
> 
> not really. I love her. plus the video is super cute and everyone should watch it so you have a better understanding of this fic as well. also special shoutout to J and A for beta-ing <3
> 
> title from the Carly Rae Jepsen song of the same name (because it's dumb and amazing shut up).

Liam genuinely enjoyed his job. The hours weren't exactly ideal, but it worked around his uni schedule quite well and plus he felt like he was actually making a difference. He was helping people on a daily basis, and that's what he liked most about it.

He also found it interesting to connect with all sorts of different people from around the world through Video Relay. Different people with different needs but all impeded by one thing: being deaf.

Not that Liam thought there was anything wrong with being deaf, not at all. His grandmother was deaf and as a result of her coming to live with his family when he was young, he learned sign language at an early age. He kept up with it even after she passed away and it was thanks to that knowledge that he managed to get the job with Video Relay in the first place.

He'd been working there for a few months before he started to recognize a few different callers. It didn't happen very often, but occasionally he'd get the same person twice in a week and it always warmed Liam's heart to see a familiar face.

But there was one boy in particular who called in on a regular basis, and he always seemed to call during Liam's shift. His name was Louis.

The calls started out perfectly normal, mostly ordering various kinds of takeaway and scheduling appointments. The first time Louis gave Liam his address to give to the restaurant he was ordering from, Liam was surprised to find that they lived in the same city.

 _'You're not far away at all!'_ he'd signed after finishing Louis' order for pizza. _'How funny!'_

 _'Don't get a lot of locals, do you?'_ Louis replied with a cheeky smile.

 _'Not really,'_ Liam answered, not sure why he was blushing.

Liam didn't think anything of the fact that he got calls from Louis nearly every week until one night in particular when Louis asked him to help him call sick into work.

 _'Sorry you're not feeling well,'_ Liam signed once Louis' boss had hung up, satisfied with the reasoning Liam had given him for Louis missing work.

 _'Can I tell you a secret?'_ Louis asked.

_'Go ahead.'_

_'I'm not really sick.'_ Louis grinned. _'Just don't want to go into work.'_

Liam laughed and shook his head. _'I can't believe I just lied for you!'_

 _'You didn't know it was a lie,'_ Louis reasoned, _'doesn't count!'_

 _'I don't think that's how it works,'_ Liam replied and Louis shrugged.

 _'Doesn't matter, it still worked!'_ Liam laughed again.

 _'Can't argue with that logic.'_ Liam smiled. _'Is there anything else I can help you with tonight?'_

 _'I'm all set. Thanks again, Liam.'_ Louis smiled. _'You're the best.'_

 _'You're welcome, Louis.'_ Liam waved at Louis before he disconnected, taking his headset off once the screen went black.

"Louis again?" Niall, his coworker, asked from across the room.

"Yeah," Liam replied, "how'd you know?"

"That goofy smile on your face," Niall said with a laugh. "Dead giveaway."

"There's--" Liam huffed, turning away from Niall to hide the obvious smile on his face, "I dunno what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't, Liam." Niall cackled as he put his headset back on and answered a new call.

*

The next time Louis called, Liam had been having kind of a rough day. He hadn't done as well on an exam as he thought he had, and he'd accidentally spilled his tea all over an assignment for a different class and had to start it all over.

Needless to say, he needed a pick-me-up.

When Louis appeared on his screen, Liam couldn't help but smile.

_'Hi, Louis. How can I help you today?'_

_'Are you alright?'_ Louis asked, totally ignoring Liam's question. _'You seem down.'_

 _'I'm good,'_ Liam assured him, _'who can I call for you?'_

Louis gave him a number Liam hadn't dialed before, and in his mind he wondered if it was a new takeaway place. He hadn't told Louis this, because why would he, but he'd kept a list of all the places Louis ordered from and tried them out on his own. Each one had been better than the last, so Liam was a bit excited about finding something new.

Hearing "you've called Fine Fuck, which one of our sluts do you want to speak to?" was definitely not what Liam was expecting.

"Sorry, what?" Liam blinked rapidly, hoping he'd misheard. "I…"

 _'What?'_ Louis asked. _'Did it not work?'_

 _'It's an adult line,'_ Liam replied, feeling his cheeks blush as the operator repeated her line again. _'For adults.'_

Louis rolled his eyes. _'I'm an adult.'_

"That's not--" Liam sighed, frustrated by the situation. "Sorry," he said to the operator, "umm, you were saying?"

"Who do you want to talk to?" she replied.

"Erm, I dunno," Liam said, frantically signing to Louis. _'They're asking who you want to speak to.'_

_'What are my options?'_

"Who've you got?"

Liam's eyes widened as the operator began listing off every type of girl they offered, his cheeks burning scarlet red by the end of the list.

 _'Straight blonde, brunette, or redhead,'_ he ended up signing to Louis, absolutely not comfortable with listing any of the rest.

_'That's it?'_

_'Yes.'_

Louis huffed, taking a few seconds before he replied, _'brunette, then.'_

"Straight brunette, please."

"Alright, hold on."

"Hi," a sultry voice spoke through the line a few seconds later, "my name's Harry, what's yours?"

"H-Hi, Harry," Liam cleared his throat, "my name is Liam, I'm calling from--"

"You sound sexy, Liam." Harry giggled.

 _'What's she saying?'_ Louis asked.

 _'She said I sound sexy,'_ Liam replied, even though his hands were shaking. "Erm, thank you, but I'm calling from Video Relay."

"What's that?" Harry asked, her tone of voice immediately switching from sexy to confused.

"Well, you see, I've got a caller who's deaf and I'm going to interpret what you say to him and vice versa."

"So, I'm talking to you… but you're talking to him?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Liam replied.

"And you can see him?"

"Yep."

"Is he cute?"

Liam looked at Louis, who was watching him expectantly. "Yeah, he's pretty cute."

"Sounds like you're telling the truth," Harry said with a laugh. "This is so weird."

"You've got no idea," Liam mumbled.

"So what do I do?"

"Just talk to me like you're talking to him and, um, we'll go from there."

"Alright," Harry said, slipping back into her sultry voice, "what's your name?"

"Louis," he answered, simultaneously signing _'her name is Harry,'_ to Louis.

_'What's she wearing?'_

"He wants to know what you're wearing," Liam asked.

"Black bra and knickers," Harry replied with a giggle and Liam dutifully signed it to Louis. "What about you?"

_'She wants to know what you're wearing.'_

_'Tell her I'm not wearing anything.'_

_'But you are.'_

_'That's not the point, is it?'_

"He's not wearing anything."

"Really?" Harry asked, slipping back out of her persona.

"Well, no," Liam admitted. "He's wearing a shirt and joggers, I think."

_'What are you doing? Don't tell her that!'_

_'Tell her what?'_ Liam asked, missing what Harry said in his ear as he watched Louis sign frantically.

_'You told her I'm wearing a shirt and joggers.'_

_'I didn't!'_

_'I can read your lips, Liam.'_

"Oh, shit." Liam covered his mouth before signing, _'I'm so, so sorry.'_

 _'It's alright,'_ Louis replied. _'I'll forgive you because you said I was cute.'_

Liam flushed again, apologizing to Harry and asking her to repeat what she said.

"What's he want?"

_'Come sit on my lap.'_

"He wants you to sit on his lap."

"I'd love to," Harry replied with another giggle, "bet you've got something big waiting for me, yeah?"

_'You've got no idea.'_

"Sorry, could you hold on for a sec?" Liam groaned softly as he put Harry on hold and started signing to Louis, _'this is really weird.'_

_'It's not that weird.'_

_'It's really weird.'_ Liam frowned. _'I don't feel comfortable with this.'_

 _'But it's your job.'_ Louis huffed. _'I can't do this myself, can I?'_

_'Why don't you go out? Bet you could pull someone way better than a girl who does phone sex.'_

_'That's not fair to Harry.'_ Louis frowned. _'Besides, not many people want to shag the deaf bloke.'_

"Oh, fuck." Liam put his head in his hands, feeling absolutely awful that he'd brought the subject up at all. _'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.'_

 _'It's okay,'_ Louis shrugged, _'is Harry still there or has she hung up on you by now?'_

"Shit," Liam said, quickly taking Harry off of hold. "Still there?"

"Yeah!" Harry replied. "Where'd you run off to?"

"Bit of technical difficulties," Liam answered, "but we're all set now."

"Excellent, now where were we…"

Liam bit the bullet and continued translating back and forth between Louis and Harry, fully aware that Niall was watching him from across the room. If Niall thought he was subtle with his laughter, he was absolutely wrong.

By the end of it, Liam was horribly uncomfortable. Part of it was due to downright embarrassment, as Niall _still_ hadn't stopped laughing at him even when he was taking other calls. The other part was due to the fact that Liam had also become aroused, because it was rather difficult to _not_ get turned on when you've got a girl moaning in your ear while you're staring at a fit boy who was definitely touching himself under his desk. Liam wasn't perfect.

"Thanks for calling," Harry said with a content sigh as Liam looked away from Louis.

"Thank you for...helping," Liam answered as he pressed his fist against himself and stifled a groan.

"Call back anytime, Liam." Harry laughed. "With or without Louis."

"I'll… I'll keep that in mind, thank you," Liam said hurriedly before hanging up on Harry and burying his face in his hands. When he peeked through his fingers, he saw Louis wave at him with a hesitant smile.

 _'Thank you,'_ he signed.

Liam sighed. _'You're welcome. Is there anyone else I can call for you tonight?'_

_'Can you stay on a bit longer?'_

_'What, do you need a cuddle?'_

Louis laughed, and Liam half-wished he could just reach into his computer and pull Louis to him.

_'Just like talking to you.'_

_'I like talking to you too.'_ Liam laughed to himself. _'Even if you make me call weird sex lines.'_

 _'Gave you a good laugh, though, right?'_ Louis smiled. _'Looked like you could use it.'_

 _'I did, actually.'_ Liam smiled. In spite of his discomfort throughout the conversation, he was feeling better than he had before. _'Suppose I should be thanking you.'_

 _'Obviously.'_ Louis smirked. A moment later he yawned and rubbed his eyes before signing, _'I should go to bed.'_

 _'Probably.'_ Liam chuckled. _'Been a big night for you.'_

 _'Shut up.'_ Louis shook his head, grinning widely. _'Lovely talking to you, as always.'_

_'Good night, Louis.'_

_'Night, Liam.'_

"What was that?!" Niall demanded after Liam had hung up with Louis and took off his headset. Liam buried his head in his hands and groaned loudly.

"That was the most awkward call I've ever been on," Liam moaned miserably.

"Who was it?"

"Louis," Liam answered with a frown. "I can't ever look him in the eye again."

"But you just did," Niall replied. "You two did your weird thing you always do."

"What weird thing?" Liam frowned.

"Where you talk to each other after his call. Nobody else does that, mate."

"It's not like that," Liam insisted, "it's not weird, he was just saying good night."

"Sure," Niall nodded, "yeah, that's not weird at all. Not after you called a phone sex line for him."

Liam groaned again and put his head down on his desk while Niall cackled. Now that he'd hung up with Louis, the embarrassment from before was turning into panic. Liam's heart started to race when he thought about the next time Louis would call in, and whether or not he'd have Liam call another phone sex line.

Later that night, after Liam had got off work and was at home lying in bed, he couldn't sleep because his mind was too busy keeping him up by dreading the following day.

 _It'll be fine,_ Liam told himself as he rolled over and pulled his pillow over his head. _I just won't answer his call. It'll be fine._

*

Liam's day had been perfectly awful. Not a single thing had gone right all day, and to top it off he'd accidentally disconnected his last call instead of placing them on hold and had gotten glared at by an elderly woman while he apologized profusely and tried to redial.

He was absolutely exhausted, and all he wanted to do was go home.

Because he was so distracted by internally beating himself up for his last mistake, Liam didn't look to see who his next caller was before he accepted it. When Louis popped up on the screen before him, he absolutely panicked.

 _'I'm sorry,'_ he signed quickly, _'I shouldn't have answered, I'm about to leave. Hold on.'_

Liam didn't give Louis a chance to reply before he put him on hold and stood up from his desk to get Niall's attention.

"Niall, can you take this call for me?"

"Sure, but...why?"

"Just do it, please?"

"Alright, alright," Niall said as he adjusted his headset, "go on, then."

Liam quickly transferred Louis to Niall, barely waiting ten seconds before he logged out of his computer and practically ran to the bathroom, thinking he might be sick.

He didn't go back to his desk for a full fifteen minutes, but when he did Niall was waiting for him in his chair.

"So...you're not talking to Louis."

"No," Liam mumbled.

"Does Louis know you're not talking to him?"

"S'pose he does now." Liam kept staring at the floor, and Niall sighed heavily.

"He just called to order a pizza, y'know."

"I can't," Liam whispered softly. "I just can't, Niall, alright?"

"But--"

"You have to answer him from now on, alright?" Liam went on. "I can't do it."

Niall sighed in frustration, but didn't argue any further. "Alright. He's not gonna like this."

"I know," Liam mumbled as Niall got up from Liam's chair and went back to his own desk.

For the rest of his shift, Liam was a bit lackluster in his calls. He felt awful for ignoring Louis' call like he had, but at the same time he felt like there was nothing else he could've done. He was too afraid to actually face Louis after the last call, so he figured this was the best way to deal with it.

Niall, on the other hand, thought Liam was a complete idiot.

Over the next few weeks, Louis called in nearly every other day. Each time, Niall dutifully took the call for Liam and gave Louis some excuse as to why he couldn't transfer the call to Liam. By the second week, Niall was sure that Louis knew Liam was avoiding him.

Still, he kept calling. Each time the video connected and Niall saw Louis' face fall when it wasn't Liam on the other side, it broke Niall's heart. With every passing day, Louis looked a little more sad and it started to take its toll on Niall as well.

Nearly a month after the phone sex debacle, Niall decided to take matters into his own hands.

He was tired of telling Louis the same lies and seeing the rejected look on his face. He was tired of Liam moping around the office but still refusing to take Louis' calls. He was tired of being in the middle, dammit!

The next time Louis called, Niall almost didn't get a chance to put his plan into action.

 _'Hi, Louis!'_ Niall signed with a bright smile. _'How are you?'_

 _'Fine,'_ Louis signed back, looking sadder than ever. _'You know what, I don't think I need anything today, sorry for wasting your time.'_

 _'No, wait!'_ Niall quickly signed, _'I've got someone for you to call.'_

_'What do you mean?'_

_'Hang on a second, okay?'_

Louis nodded and Niall grinned, quickly connecting his headset and dialing the number to Liam's cell phone. He knew Liam was currently on break, and that he always answered his phone even when he didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi! This is Niall from Video Relay, and--"

"Niall, why're you calling me?" Liam asked, and Niall huffed.

"Don't interrupt, it's rude. Christ, who taught you manners?"

"But--"

"As I was saying, I'm calling from Video Relay and I've got Louis Tomlinson on the line for you."

"What? Niall, I told you, I can't--"

"This has gone on long enough, Li." Niall sighed. "You two need to talk."

"I don't want to, Niall, I told you--"

"And I'm telling you to stop being a shit!" Niall shouted. "The poor boy's been calling nearly every fuckin' day and you two need to sort this out, alright?!"

"A-Alright," Liam swallowed harshly, "I'll talk to him."

"Damn right you will. Jesus fuckin' Christ," he added under his breath. He looked back at Louis for the first time since Liam picked up, and mimed for Louis to smile when he saw the tears in his eyes.

_'Got Liam on the line for you. What would you like to tell him?'_

_'Why's he avoiding me?'_

"He wants to know why you've been avoiding him."

"I don't know," Liam whimpered.

"Bullshit, Li. You're avoiding him because you're all fucked up over this phone sex shit because you fancy him."

"Don't tell him that!"

"I won't!"

"Can he see you?" Niall rolled his eyes.

"Christ, Li, how long have you worked here? Yes, he can bloody well see me."

"Louis can read lips, Ni."

"Oh, fuck." Niall's eyes widened.

_'Did he tell you I can read lips?'_

_'Yeah.'_

_'So he fancies me, then?'_

_'Yeah.'_ Niall watched as Louis smiled widely for the first time in ages.

_'Can you transfer me to him?'_

"Li, think you might wanna go back to your desk."

Liam sighed. "Alright, hang on."

_'Give us two minutes.'_

Louis nodded eagerly and Niall smiled at him. Liam appeared shortly after, and Niall responded to his glare with a bright smile.

"This is for your own good, Liam!" he called out.

"Shut up, Niall," Liam mumbled as he sat down at his computer and gestured for Niall to transfer Louis over.

Liam's heart was pounding as he waited for the call to connect, but it stopped beating entirely when Louis appeared on the screen.

_'Hi.'_

_'Hi,'_ Liam sighed, _'I'm sorry.'_

 _'Sorry for avoiding me?'_ Louis frowned. _'Or sorry for Niall telling me you fancy me?'_

Liam groaned. _'Both?'_

 _'I don't hate you for ignoring me, I just wish you hadn't.'_ Louis huffed. _'And don't be sorry for fancying me, I fancy you too.'_

 _'But...'_ Liam blinked. _'You got off to Harry! She's a girl!'_

 _'And?'_ Louis rolled his eyes. _'Doesn't mean I can't fancy you too.'_

_'But I'm a boy...'_

_'Yeah...and you fancy me.'_ Louis laughed and shook his head. _'Why is this hard for you to understand? I fancy you, Liam. Why do you think I call so often?'_

 _'I thought you just needed help calling lots of people.'_ Liam frowned. _'I'm an idiot.'_

 _'No, you're not.'_ Louis smiled. _'You're sweet. And kind. And well fit,'_ he added with a wink. _'I'd be mad not to fancy you.'_

 _'Stop.'_ Liam was blushing and trying to hide a smile, but Louis was grinning so widely he was making it impossible.

 _'Don't think I will.'_ Louis winked again. _'How long is your shift tonight?'_

_'I'm off in an hour or so, why?'_

Louis rolled his eyes again. _'Why do you think? I'm trying to ask you out, you numpty!'_

Liam laughed. _'I'm off at 10. Want me to bring a pizza?'_

*

"You're welcome," Niall called out when Liam got up from his desk at the end of his shift.

"Yes, thank you, Niall," Liam drawled out in monotone, "dunno what I would've done without you, how will I ever repay you?"

"Change your tone, for starters!" Niall cackled. "If you're going to thank me every day, I expect you to mean it!"

Liam walked over to Niall's desk and ambushed him with a crushing hug, laughing as Niall pushed him away.

"Thank you," he said in a meaningful tone, this time. Niall grinned and waved his hand at Liam.

"Glad you two sorted it out. Be sure to invite me to the wedding, yeah?"

"Shut up," Liam mumbled, giving Niall a light shove before he headed for the door.

Half an hour later, he was standing at Louis' door with a pizza in hand. He pressed the doorbell, wondering how on Earth a doorbell worked when the occupant was deaf when the door swung backwards to reveal Louis standing there.

"Hi," Liam breathed out, not quite believing that he was actually seeing Louis in person.

"Hi," Louis mouthed back, his wide smile never faltering. _'Come on in.'_

**Author's Note:**

> [my tumblr](http://imlouisaf.tumblr.com)


End file.
